Homecoming
by sweetsouthernsarcasm
Summary: Claude had promised her he would return to her, and she knew he would. She just wished she knew when he would, and what would happen when he finally returned.


Just yesterday, I had to say goodbye to Claude. The parting was slow and sweet, and I had managed to hold back the tears until he was just a dot in the twilight sky. Afterwards, I went and visited Jeralt's grave. Just coming here would always calm me down, and speaking to the tombstone only enhanced that feeling. It helped me sort my thoughts staying there for only Serios knows how long, I returned to my personal quarters. I slept restlessly, waking up from nightmares in a cold sweat multiple times.

When the sun finally started to rise, I rose with it, knowing I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Now I was sitting at breakfast with my former students as company. The ring Claude had given me rested on my finger, softly sparkling in the light of the dining hall.

"So he finally gave you the ring, huh?"

Slightly startled, I turned to Hilda. "Yes. how did you know he was going to give it to me?"

"Oh, he's had the ring for ages. He told me about wanting to give it to you the night of the ball."

"So he's been planning it for five years now?" I smiled. It was amazing how much faith that man had in regards to me. _Just more of an incentive to do my job as a ruler, then._

Hilda smiled back. "I'm pretty sure he's been taken with you since they day the two of you met, he just didn't notice it himself," she replied.

"And he's had the ring even longer than that. His mother gave him that ring when he decided to travel here; told him to give it to someone special," Judith chimed in. I was so grateful that she was going to stay here for a bit to help me get a running start on ruling a new nation.

"Jeralt told me something similar when he gave me thing ring I gave to Claude," I replied.

"Oh, it's so great seeing the two of you happy together finally. I saw the way you looked at him the night we all reunited and just knew something would happen between the two of you sooner or later," Hilda said.

I glanced at her, then quickly slid my eyes towards Lorenz before looking back at Hilda, then to my plate.

I heard a small cough and looked back up, noticing a slight blush on her face. "Well, I'm done with breakfast now," she said, standing up. "I'm going to make sure everything is packed," she added as she grabbed her plate and started to walk off. She paused, then turned around. "Lorenz, would you like to meet me before I leave at noon?"

"Yes, I would love to," he replied. "In fact, why don't I go ahead and escort you to wherever you need to go before you make sure you're packed?" he added, standing up.

"I would greatly appreciate that, Lorenz. Thank you."

And with that, the two of them went off. I smiled, remembering the conversation I had overheard between them, and I hope he gets the guts to propose sooner rather than later. Hopefully none of us will be too busy to attend their wedding, once he does. I finished the rest of my breakfast quietly, then went off to start my first day as queen.

* * *

Before I knew it, a month had passed. I had gotten letters regularly from almost everyone, and it was nice keeping up with the progress going on in everyone's life. Lorenz was working on restoring his family's name, and had proposed to Hilda two weeks after they had both departed the monastery. Lysithea had moved somewhere new with her parents, and they were enjoying a new, peaceful life away from all the troubles of nobility and any lingering threats. Ignatz was finally out living his dream of being a painter, traveling to different locations in order to paint as many different people and scenes as he could. Raphael had returned home, and was helping his family out with the inn they had started in his absence. Leonie was on her way to becoming a top-notch mercenary, which should come naturally to a former soldier such as herself. Marianne was back with her adoptive parents, making a name for herself by taking care of animals. With how much she and Ignatz had been mentioning each other in their letters, it was easy to see that they were keeping in close touch.

Claude was the only one I hadn't heard much from. I had gotten one letter from him, letting me know he had arrived safely in Almyra. I had that letter, plus his birthday notes to me, neatly hidden in a drawer in my room. It turns out he had written one to me each year I had been asleep as well. I still wore the bracelet he had gotten for me as a gift, the first time my birthday passed after we found out the actual date. I was beyond happy it hadn't fallen off and gotten lost in those five years. I ran my thumb over the aged stitching, admiring how it still managed to have a shimmer despite all the battles I had worn it through. I considered it my good luck charm, and would just need to glance down at it if I ever needed a boost of confidence or luck. And, if I were ever missing Claude particularly badly, I just needed to play with it or twist the ring that adorned my finger.

I sighed, signing the letter to send to Hilda. Standing up, I stretched before heading to the dining hall. Tonight was a feast celebrating one month of peace. Of course, there had been skirmishes here and there, but the knights were able to bring most to an end rather quickly. I was just hoping they wouldn't lead to something more. But for now, I was going to tamp down those worries and enjoy the feast the way Claude and Raphael had taught me.

* * *

Another month had passed, and Rhea along with it. Flayn had disappeared shortly after the night Rhea died, although Seteth was still around to help. He had actually relaxed somewhat since the war ended, and was ruling with a more tolerant view of the world.

After Rhea's death, I had moved up to her room. She may have done many questionable things throughout her long lifetime, but she was the closest thing I ever had to a mother. I peered into one of the pools, looking at my reflection surrounded by the starry sky above me. I was trying to not worry, but it got more difficult with every passing day. There were rumors about remnants of the Empire joining with the remaining ones that slither in the dark, and news of more skirmishes every day, each one a bit closer to the monastery than the previous.

I let out a heavy breath, willing the stress to melt away so that I could get some sleep. If I tried going to bed like this, it would just lead to nightmare after nightmare. I twisted my ring, and tears began to well up in my eyes. As I looked up at the sky, they began to fall down my face. At first, the tears were silent, but after a sigh, I began to sob loudly, with no control over the volume. I knew I could do this own my own, but I'll be damned if it isn't the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I missed my friends. I missed Rhea. I missed Claude.

I don't know how long I had been crying, but I suddenly felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and realized I had, at some point, sunk down to my knees. I felt a presence beside me, and my tears began to slow as the figure next to me started whispering. I couldn't understand the words, but the comforting tone slowly helped me calm down.

"Let it all out," I finally heard. "It will be okay, Byleth."

I lifted my head, meeting the eyes of Seteth. "What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised. My voice was almost inaudible.

"I was in the Audience Chamber. Your crying was rather loud."

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't know I was making so much noise," I replied, embarrassed and turning my head away.

"Well, others might have mistaken it for animals or the wind, but you forget that I'm a father. For that reason, I knew it had to be someone crying."

I turned back to face him. "I'm sorry about Flayn."

"And I'm sorry about Rhea. I know she meant a lot to you, despite how much she hid from you."

"It will be fine; we will reunite someday," I replied. "As will you and Flayn."

"Ah, I haven't told you about that just quite yet, have I?"

"Told me about what?"

"Seteth and Flayn are not our names. Our true identities are Cichol and Cethleann. I am surprised you hadn't figured it for yourself yet. Although I do suppose you've been rather busy as of late, so it is to be expected, I guess."

"Oh. yes, that does make sense, now that I think about it."

"Well, I feel that you've done enough thinking for now." he stood up and held out his hand. "Come, it's time for you to get some sleep. I took has hand and pulled myself up. "Wash your face. And I put some tea beside your bed; drink it, it should help you sleep."

I just nodded in reply, waving as he descended the stairs. As I began to wash my face, I made a decision: tomorrow, I will write to all of the others, asking for their help once more. I was already composing the letter in my head as I started to drink the tea Seteth had set out; I scribbled some of it down. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

**. . . . . . . . . .**

When I finally woke up, it turns out I had overslept. I dressed as fast as I possibly could, then ran to my office and got the letters written as fast as possible. Once I had them written, I heaved a sigh of relief. Help was on the way, whether or not it was my friends or soldiers that belonged to them.

_We will be okay, we __**will**_ _get through whatever comes our way._

* * *

A month had passed since I sent the letters. Not everyone could make it, but those that could not were able to send troops. It was a blessing, because they were going to be direly needed in the upcoming battle. I know the monastery will be attacked within the next few days, I am just not sure when.

"Try to not be so on-edge," Judith said, standing next to me on the balcony. "All will be well. You got us through that war, you'll get us through this battle."

"Yes, but I'm missing my right-hand man. Hilda and Lysithea are both amazing, but they aren't Claude," I replied, sadness tinging my voice.

"You will win this battle, and you'll secure the future the two of you have been chasing after for so long now, he may not be here physically, but he is still with you. He's here through your ideals and the way you fight, and how you make callouts during battle. The both of you are two halves of one whole. He does not need to be here physically to support you."

For the first time in a while, I smiled. "Thank you, Judith. So much. I really needed to hear that."

"It's not a problem at all, sweetheart. And don't worry, I miss him, too. Just don't even let him know I told you," she replied, winking at me.

Together, we turned back to face the horizon, watching the skies for any signs of dust or fliers. After a while, Hilda and Lysithea joined us, and we kept up a constant stream of chatter about this and that, and how everything is coming together in the old Alliance territories.

"What is that?" Hilda said suddenly, cutting herself off.

We all turned to see where she was pointing, and then scrambled to get ready when we realized it was soldiers. Many of them. More than expected. We ran down the halls, sounding the alarm. Everyone was getting ready as fast as they could. _I will not let this be like that day_, I thought, remembering the day I fell in the canyon and Rhea was kidnapped. _It will not be like that this time around._

Once everyone was ready, we headed on to the grounds, out the gate, to meet our enemies. It took a bit to reach each other, but when we finally did, the sounds of battle filled the air almost instantly. The clanging of swords, shouting of spells, screams of the dying. Screams of the living, warning their comrades when to dodge. Time began to have no meaning. I kept shouting commands, not noticing that my voice was getting a touch of hoarseness. Looking around the battlefield, I realized our numbers were dwindling. But we had to keep fighting. I commanded everyone to keep going, urging them to not stop. I was getting tired. I could tell they were getting tired. And then, all of a sudden, I heard it. I heard his voice. It was coming from above me.

"Well hey there, it looks like you're in a bit of a tight spot, Teach. How about I help?" he winked, shooting someone trying to attack me from behind.

"That would definitely be appreciated," I replied, fending off an attacker from the front. Soon as I said so, Claude made the call for his soldiers to attack. I wanted to speak with him, but a battlefield is no place for a reunion. So I continued to fight. The tides of the battle soon turned. I saw some surrendering, some trying to run, and others giving up and letting themselves be cut down. Then, when not many were left and they were realizing the had lost, some even began to take their own lives. Soon, all were gone, and it was only my allies and I left on the battlefield.

Exhausted, I shouted the command to retreat from the battlefield, now that we had won. I put my sword in its sheath and began to walk back towards the monastery. After only a few steps, dizziness overcame me, and my vision started to fade. I feel warm, strong arms wrap around me and vaguely hear shouting, and then everything goes black.

I needed water desperately. Prying my eyes open, it felt like they were filled with glue. I sat up slowly, doing my best to not get dizzy. I'm back at the monastery, in a bed in the infirmary. I'm still all dirty from battle, but my shoes have been removed and my clothes swapped out for a soft, loose-fitting gown. I look around the room and see Claude, snoozing in a chair, feet stretched out in front of him. Then, as if he could sense I was staring at him, he opens his eyes.

"Hey there, stranger," I say, my voice cracking. It slightly hurts when I speak.

"Shhh, no talking right now. Manuela said you aren't allowed to speak for the next day. Here's you some water," he said, pouring a cup. "Drink it slowly. I'll go wake Manuela up soon, but I want to spend a few moments alone with you first," he added, handing me the cup.

I took a sip and then had to force myself to not gulp the entire cup down in one go. It was like heaven to my sore throat. I almost wanted to cry from relief. I held the cup, then just looked at Claude.

"Well, I would ask you what's happened since I left, but since you're unable to talk at the moment, how about I tell you what I was up to these past few months?" he asked, placing his elbows on his knees and leaning forward.

I nodded in reply, taking another sip of water. _Ahhhh. _

"Okay then. Well, let's see… I left here and went back to my land here. After making sure things were in order there, I traveled to Almyra. I went to meet my parents first. I told them about things here. I told them about you," he smiled. "Then I went and met my connections to the king. They were distant connections, so I had to spend most of my stay there working my way up the ladder. That's why I wasn't able to write many letters. Anyway, I finally made it to see the King. of course, I told him my goal. He wasn't having any of it, though. Said that we were all separated countries for a reason. Spent the next week or so trying to convince him otherwise. Finally, I wore him down so much that he challenged me to a battle! Winner takes the crown, and gets to rule the kingdom as he pleases." He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, legs stretched out their full length. "So, of course, I accepted. And boy, he put up quite the fight. However, I won in the end."

I stared at him, mouth open. So…

"You're looking at the newly coronated king of Almyra. Once the coronation was over, I went to bed as soon as I could so that I could leave early as possible the next day. Of course, they didn't want the new king just running off alone, so they sent soldiers with me. And that came in handy, it seems. Hard to believe that I came in on a full-on battle. I mean, I expected some skirmishes of course, but nothing like that. If I had foreseen that I would have stayed."

I just shook my head and smiled. I wanted to talk to him, but my throat was in pain.

"Ah! So you're finally up!" Manuela came sweeping in, looking as graceful as ever, despite her outfit being somewhat plain. "I assume Claude has told you you're not allowed to talk for the next 24 hours, correct?"

I nodded, taking a sip of water.

"Okay then," she said, starting to take things off the shelves. "Next, I need you to drink what I'm about to make. It doesn't taste that great, but it'll help your throat. I would make this for myself at least once a week back when I sang with the opera. Now, once you finish this, I would advise cleaning yourself up and getting some well-deserved rest. Take a day to yourself for once; you've been focusing on building this kingdom non-stop. It's okay for you to take a rest, let us take care of it for today," she winked, handing me the concoction.

I took a sip and couldn't help but pull a face. Claude started laughing, and only started laughing harder when I glared at him. Rolling my eyes, I decided to down it all in one go. Took a few deep gulps aaaannnnddd, done. I wiped my mouth off and started to get up. _Too fast._ I stopped, took a deep breath, and stood up.

"Ah, yes, you may be a bit dizzy on and off through the day, so be careful. Claude, why don't you spend the day with her? The two of you are engaged, after all. I'm sure the two of you can find something fun to do," she said, adding a wink at the end.

Blushing, I gathered my things and began to walk to my room to grab what I would need to get a bath. I hold out my hand and Claude gets up, then sweeps me off my feet and starts carrying me… To my old personal quarters. I sign for him to stop and hold up three fingers. I see a brief confusion pass over his expression, followed by a short sadness as he turns around to take me upstairs.

"So, you stay in what used to be Rhea's room now, huh? Makes sense, since you're the ruler and all now. I'm sure that she's happy that you took it over, and not Seteth. She probably wouldn't want him getting her sheets all smelly," her grinned, speaking loudly in hopes of it reaching Seteth. I was having to hold back my giggles. When we got upstairs, he let me down from his arms but kept a steady hand on my shoulder.

"Is your bath up here, or do you still have to go to the other ones? Because if it's up here I'll run it for you."

I pointed at the door that was the entrance to my personal bathroom and began to rummage through my clothes. White tank top with navy blue trim, beige pants with a navy blue strip down them, and a long navy blue coat since it was a bit chilly out.

I walked to my bathroom and saw Claude sitting on the edge of the tub, gloves off, sleeves up to his elbows. I sat my clothes down in a place near the tub where they would stay dry and started to reach for a towel.

"Before you get a towel, come check and see if the water is a good temperature for you. I'm sorry if it's a bit cool, but I'm reluctant to add more heat because I don't want it to aggravate your vertigo."

I stuck my hand in the water for a second, then gave him a thumbs up.

"Okay, good," he said, turning off the taps. Picking up his gloves, he stood up and planted a quick kiss on my forehead. "I'll go stand right outside the door. If you need anything, hit me with your soap bar, okay?"

I just smiled, nodding my head. Taking off the gown from the infirmary, I sank down into the tub, letting the water submerge all but my face. I took my time getting clean, working out the kinks in my hair and making sure the blood was completely rinsed out of it and off of me. I let the water begin to drain from the tub, and carefully stepped out. I dried myself off quickly and got dressed. Walking out, I motioned that I had to put my shoes on. Once I did, we started to leave.

"No stairs for you today," Claude said, bending down a bit. "Hop on my back, I can be your ride for today."

I climbed onto his back, making sure I was in a position that would keep us both comfortable and steady. He asked if I was ready, and when I gave him the thumbs up, he started down the stairs.

"So, what would you like to do today? I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. I assume you are as well, since you were out for so long," he said. "And it is almost lunchtime. Tap once for no and twice for yes."

At the mention of food, my stomach let out a loud growl.

Claude laughed. "Okay, I'll take _that_ as a yes. So, how about we make it a picnic, since it's rather nice out today?"

That did sound pretty nice. So I tapped him on the shoulder twice.

"Good. Now we just need the food, let's hope the kitchen is having something good."

And they were. I got myself two helpings of one of the sides. Once we had our food, I followed Claude out to the gazebo. He set his food down, then pulled out a chair for me. I sat, and he situated himself across from me. I began to eat. Slowly at first, but then faster as I realized just how hungry I was. After about a minute, I had to set down the fork and give myself time to breathe.

"Yeah, definitely a good idea to not eat too fast. It wouldn't be fun to vomit while you have a sore throat."

I shot him a glare, one eyebrow raised. He was really gonna talk about that kind of getting sick while eating? I wasn't completely disgusted by it, but it definitely wasn't something I wanted to hear about when I was shoveling food into my face.

He just laughed. "You know, this somewhat reminds me of back before the war, all the times we had tea here together. You always insisted on making the tea yourself. It's almost like you didn't trust me," he winked. "But you always made my favorite, so I guess I can't complain too much."

I smiled as memories came flowing back. I always did my best to spend time with all of my students outside of class, but the longer I had been here, the more I had looked forward to my time with Claude over all the others. It had somehow never occurred to me that I had fallen in love with him.

We sat in silence for the next few minutes as we ate. Finally full, I sat down my fork and leaned back in my chair. I stretched, then relaxed as I stared at the sky.

"I like they style of your jacket. The navy blue with the gold fits you well." He leaned across the table, brushing some hair out of my face and tucking it behind my ear. "What would you like to do now, Teach? The day is all yours." He tilted his head to the side. "Well, I probably shouldn't call you Teach anymore. After all, you'll be my wife soon."

I saw a blush spreading across his face, and felt my own face becoming warm. "Teach" had been my first nickname, getting another would be interesting.

"For now, I'll just call you by your name, until I find another fitting nickname," he said, picking up our plates. "Let's get these back to the dining hall; then I would like to change into something more comfortable. We can decide what to do next on the way."

And with that, we were off. We dropped off our plates. When we reached the stairs to the second floor dormitory, he carried me up them, bridal style. I stood outside his room while he changed, enjoying getting to have a day off.

"So, how about we go fishing?" he asked, walking out. He lowered himself and motioned for me to get on. "If we go fishing, we can see who can catch the bigger fish. We can do something else if you would rather, though." Once we got down the stairs, he let me down gently. "Here," he said, pulling something out of a pocket in his jacket. "A notepad and pencil. Now you can just write down what you need to say. Why we didn't think of that earlier escapes me."

**Because you were too caught up in my eyes**, I wrote, winking.

"Is that so? Because I was thinking you were the one caught up in me. I was able to speak to Judith last night, you know."

**You know nothing.**

"She said that not a day went by where you didn't say anything about me."

That was probably true. **Seteth and she were the only ones I could really confide in after everyone else left.**

"Well, I would have missed my own company as well," he replied, winking and blowing a kiss.

I just rolled my eyes. **Let's go fishing, that does sound fun. And by the way, I will** **get the bigger fish.** My writing was getting sloppy from how fast I was writing. Oh well, at least it's still legible. Thankfully, I'll be able to speak tomorrow.

"Okay then, to the pond we go!" he said, motioning for me to climb on his back again.

Hopping up, I held on tight, burying my face into the crook of his neck and feeling the tickle of his hair against my skin. Breathing in, I just let myself relax. Claude's scent was lie a mixture of sunlight and weapon grease. The sun on my back and the natural warmth of his body encompassed me, and the natural sway from the way he walked almost lulled me to sleep right then and there.

"Okay, here we are. You get settled and I'll go get some bait."

I nodded in reply. Walking to the end of the small dock, I took a set and let my legs dangle off the edge. I leaned over slightly, examining my reflection. My hair had grown longer without me really noticing it. It was reminiscent of Rhea's. _Maybe I'll let it keep growing._ Looking back up, I tucked it behind my ears.

"Alright, here's the bait, and here's you a fishing pole."

Smiling in thanks, I took the pole and grabbed some bait. I cast the line, swinging my feet slightly as I began to relax. Claude sat to my right, casting his line as well. After a moment, I saw the slight tension that had been resting on his shoulders melt away.

"Let the competition for the biggest fish begin. Loser has to cook supper for the winner," he said, grinning.

I smiled back, and we settled into a comfortable silence. The crisp air was filled with the sounds of fish splashing and the noise of the marketplace nearby. We sat there fishing for the next few hours, with him catching two fish while I caught three.

Somehow, he still caught the bigger fish.

"Well, it looks like you owe me a fish dinner," he teased, winking quickly.

**I caught more, you should cook for me.**

"Sorry bubbles, but that wasn't the deal," he grinned.

**Bubbles?**

"Yeah, why not? I think it works, somehow."

I just rolled my eyes. **Let's get to the kitchen. Let me know what kind of fish you want for supper.** I picked up the small basket he had gotten for holding the fish, and he picked me up to carry me up the stairs.

When we got to the dining hall, he let me down gently, and we walked into the kitchen. I sat down the fish as he began to grab spices. I went to find some pans and other cooking utensils, grabbing so oil along the way. We settled into a familiar routine, cooking as partners like we had before the war. As I watched over the fish, he started making a side to go with it. I took the plates he had gotten out and set the lightly fried fillets on them, and handed it to him so he could add the side. I went and got cups, and filled them with some wine from a recently opened bottle.

We took the meal out and chose some seats that were away from others. **I thought I was supposed to be the one to cook**, I wrote, grinning.

"Well, yeah, but you know I enjoy cooking. And you did cook the fish, not me, so you still filled out your end of the deal."

We kept up the chatter throughout the meal, then washed the dishes we had used. Afterwards, we decided to go for a walk around the monastery. We visited the greenhouse to look at the flowers growing and check the progress of the fruits and veggies growing there. He plucked a blue flower, tucking it into my hair behind my left ear.

"Next time we get some free time, I'll teach you how to make a flower crown. It's pretty easy, but it still takes a bit of practice."

We went to the cathedral, which was mostly empty aside from a few monks and people offer up prayers before they headed to bed. We checked on the statues of the saints and visited the goddess tower. By the time we got to the library, I had started to feel sleepy.

**I think I'm ready to go to bed now**, I wrote after we talked with Lysithea for a few minutes. She was leaving tomorrow, so it was nice to have the chance to say goodbye in case I was unable to do so tomorrow.

"Okay then, let's get you up to your room," he said gently. "I'll tuck you in."

He carried me up the stairs once more, and waited by my room while I changed into night clothes. I climbed into bed, and he walked in. He gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. Before he could leave, I grabbed onto his sleeve.

"Do you need something before I leave?"

I shook my head, tugging at his sleeve some.

"Do you want me to stay?" he asked, a slight blush spreading across his face.

I nodded in reply, letting go of his sleeve. Hopefully having him here would help keep the night terrors away. If not, at least I would have someone there to help ground me, instead of panicking for what felt like forever before I could get to sleep.

"Okay, I will." he sat in the chair at the desk in my room, and slid off his shoes and shirt. After hanging it neatly on the back of the chair, he climbed into bed with me. "Goodnight, Byleth," he whispered, wrapping an arm around me and pulling me close. He kissed my forehead once more before closing his eyes and relaxing. I tucked my head under his chin, breathing in his scent as I relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

**. . . . . . . . . .**

I started to come to slowly, as if I were rising back up from the depths of a lake. Then I suddenly became hyper-aware, realizing that Claude was still there, bare arm wrapped around me. Sometime during the night I had flipped over, and now he was curled around me. He started stirring, so I carefully turned over.

He lazily slid one eye open. "Good morning, sleepyhead," he said, yawning.

"Me, sleepyhead? I'm not the one yawning," I teased back as I suppressed a yawn of my own.

"Yawning is contagious, so I'm expecting one from you any second now," he replied, opening his other eye and smiling as he propped himself up on his right arm, leaving his left resting on me.

I slid my right hand to rest on top of his hip, curling my left arm under my head and peering up at him. "Well, you're going to be extremely disappointed, then," I replied, breathing out deeply to keep myself from yawning.

I could see a sparkle in his eyes. He knew I was holding it back. He had a mischievous grin on his face. "Is that so?" he asked, letting out a huge fake yawn.

I was losing the fight. I finally gave in, yawning. "Great, now we're going to get stuck in a loop of yawning at each other," I said, sticking my tongue out.

"Nah, I've already yawned, you can't get me to yawn again."

"Sure I can."

"Nope, you lost the window of opportunity when you held yours back. That fake yawn really helped me."

"You lie," I replied. "How is a fake yawn supposed to help you?"

"Just does," he replied. His expression relaxed, changing to an emotion I couldn't quite place my finger on. "I've missed the sound of your voice."

I blushed, looking away from his face. _Huh, I never knew he had chest hair._

He rested his hand on my cheek for a second before cupping it under my chin and tilting my head upwards. The look in his eyes was the same one he had the night he proposed and the night he had to leave, yet somehow even more intense and intimate. Leaning down, he started to kiss me. Long, lingering kisses. I leaned into them, pulling him closer as I did. I let my guard down and got lost in the moment. Too soon, he pulled away, leaving me breathless.

"I have an idea of what we can do today," he said, sounding just as breathless as I felt.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Let's get married today. I'm honestly tired of waiting. I've wanted it for the past six years. If you want to plan something big, I'll wait, but I can't promise I'll be patient about it."

My heart almost jumped out of my chest. "I don't want anything huge. I honestly hadn't even started thinking about a ceremony yet. But we better hop to it if we want to do it today; Lysithea and Hilda would never forgive us if we did the ceremony without them."

"Yeah, you're right about that. They're probably both in the dining hall, if we hurry we can catch them."

"And we'll need to find Seteth too," I said."He can be the one to lead the ceremony and all."

"Do you want to take the time to write some vows, or would you rather just wing it?" he asked, pulling on his shirt and buttoning it.

I pulled on the pants I wore yesterday and turned my back to Claude as I changed my shirt. "Um, I'll think of some while we eat breakfast. What time of day are you wanting to do this?"

"I haven't gotten that far just yet. I figure we can talk to Lysithea and Hilda about it when we see them."

"Good idea," I said, pulling on my boots. I slipped on my coat and the two of us headed down the stairs to the dining , the two women in question were there, sitting down as we walked in. Hilda spotted us and waved to us. Waving back, I began to head over.

"Good morning, you two," she said, smiling. "Did you two enjoy your day together yesterday? Do you have any plans for today?"

"We did," I replied. "And actually, as far as today goes, we kinda decided to go ahead and get married."

"We know it's sudden," Claude added hurriedly, seeing the shocked look on their faces, "but neither of us cares about having a large ceremony and we don't want to wait any longer."

"Oh my goodness!" Hilda gasped. "Well, big ceremony or no, you can't get married dressed like that. Neither of you. Do you have any vows prepared? What about time? And were you planning on inviting anyone other than the two of us?"

"Um, what else do I really have to wear?" I asked. "I was planning on writing some vows when I ate breakfast. We were going to ask you two about the time, and we haven't discussed inviting anyone else."

"Although I'm fine with anyone coming, really," Claude said.

"I assume you have or plan on asking Seteth to perform the ceremony?" Lysithea interjected.

Claude and I nodded in unison. "I was planning on finding him after breakfast," Claude replied.

"Okay. the two of you can go ahead and get yourselves some breakfast. Claude, you can wear your uniform that you would wear to Alliance meetings. Byleth, I'll find something for you to wear, since I don't remember you having anything overly formal. Figure out who else, if anyone, you want to invite, and I can figure out a time."

"Oh, I can make you guys a cake!" Lysithea exclaimed happily. "I'll use my own special recipe, too!"

"Thank you, Hilda, Lysithea . It means so much that you're willing to help on such a short notice," I replied.

"Thank us later," Hilda winked. "Right now, the two of you need to get some food in you and write your vows. Oh, and decide if you want to invite anyone else."

"Yes ma'am," Claude replied, giving a small salute.

The two of us went and grabbed some breakfast, then took Hilda and Lysithea 's recently vacated seats. "So, we definitely have to invite Judith," I said. "She would never forgive us if she missed it."

"That's for sure. If Alois is here we need to invite him."

"He is. How about the gatekeeper out front, by the marketplace? He's always so polite. He more of an acquaintance than friend, but I would still like for him to come."

"Yeah, I can agree to that."

Just then, the chair next to Claude slid back, with Ignatz taking a seat. "Hello, you two. Hope you don't mind me joining, it looks like the two of you were having a pretty intense conversation," he said.

"Pretty intense? If tension were solid, this was so thick you could have cut it with a knife," another voice said. Turning to look behind me, I saw Felix. "How are you two?" he asked.

"We're great, actually," Claude grinned. "I have a question for the two of you."

"If it's about some mission, no. I'm only here until tomorrow."

"I'm up for a mission if you need help," Ignatz replied.

"Well, it is a mission of sorts, I guess, but we would only need you for today. Byleth and I are getting married today; would the two of you like to came to the ceremony?"

"Oh, of course!" Ignatz exclaimed. "Congratulations, you two! When did you decide to have the ceremony?"

"This morning," I grinned.

"That's a rather short notice," Felix said. "It's fitting for the two of you, however. I'll attend. What time are you two having it?"

"We're not sure of the exact time just yet; Hilda told us she would pick one for us once we let her know how all we were inviting," Claude said. "Do you have anyone else you'd like to invite?"

"No, I think the list of people we have now is fine," I replied, pulling the notepad and pencil from yesterday out of my coat pocket. I wrote down the names of everyone we were inviting, then ripped it out and handed it to Claude. "Now that you're done eating, take this to Hilda on your way to see Seteth. Oh, and if you see Lysithea, you should probably let her know how many people are coming too, so she knows how much cake to make."

"Oh, Lysithea is here as well?" Felix asked. "It'll be nice to see her."

"It's nice to see you two, too," I said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some vows to write and food to eat," I smiled.

"We'll leave you to it! Oh, also, would it be okay if I painted the scene?"

"You can if you would like, but definitely don't feel pressured to, please," I replied. "I don't want you to get stressed or anything."

"Okay! Well, good luck with writing your vows!"

"Thanks!" I twiddled with the pencil some, brainstorming a bit on what to write. When I caught a thread, I started writing until I felt it was complete. I read back over them to check and see if there was anything I wanted to add or delete, but they turned out perfect on my first try.

Putting the notepad and pencil back in my jacket, I stood up. I waved goodbye to Felix and Ignatz, picked up my empty plate, and went to wash it. After that, I needed to go find Hilda. By now she probably had a time set for us, and had some outfit options for me to pick from. I wasn't sure where to find here, so I looked around a bit. I finally found her in the old Golden Deer classroom, back facing the open doorway.

"So many memories are here in this room," she said, sighing happily. "So," she started, turning to face me, "I know you were probably expecting a few options to choose from, but when I was looking through any and everything that could be an option, I came across this." She handed me a purple dress, neatly folded. I could see hints of intricate gold stitching as well. "The school and church used to put on plays. This costume was made for the part of Sothis. I assume Rhea told you that's Serios's true name?" I nodded in reply, and she continued talking. "Well, when I saw it, it immediately reminded me of you for some reason. And then, when I pictured you in it, I couldn't stand the thought of anything else. So I think this, along with some flowers in your hair the way Rhea enjoyed wearing hers, would be great. I'll close the door if you'd like to go ahead and try it on."

"Not just yet, but thank you," I said, setting the dress down on the desk beside me. "Claude did come find you and show you the list, right?"

"Yes actually, he did. I'm so glad Felix and Ignatz happened to be passing through! That means six guests total. So I told him to be ready by half past noon. The ceremony should start at one. It's only just now nine, so you have plenty of time. Were you able to get you vows written, or at least been able to start them?"

"Yes," I grinned. "They might sound cheesy to some people, but I love them all the same."

"And that is what's most important," she smiled. "It only matters what you and Claude think of them, and I'm sure he'll adore yours."

"Okay, so, I have my vows written, Claude has talked to or is talking to Seteth, and you have done an amazing job at picking me something out. So that leaves inviting Judith, Alois, and the gatekeeper to the ceremony." I put my hand up to my face, elbow propped on my other hand. _Am I missing anything?_

"Well, once you find the two of them and tell them, you should have a bit of free time on your hands. Be back here at twelve though, so we can get your hair and makeup done. Don't worry, it won't be a lot of makeup."

"Thank you so much, Hilda," I replied, hugging her. "I'm going to go find Claude so we can invite those last two. I'll see you at twelve!" I waved, walking out of the room. I decided to head straight to Seteth's office to see if the two of them were there. I walked at a leisurely pace, taking my time up the stairs in case my vertigo wanted to act up. Once I was upstairs I quickened my pace some. As I got closer to the office, I could hear the two men talking.

"Hello, Seteth, how are you?"

"I'm doing wonderfully, actually. It's been stressful on both of us recently, so this ceremony is a welcome change of pace. Now that you're both here, we have a few business matters to discuss. Claude has told me that he was recently crowned King of Almyra. Byleth, you've been the ruler since we united Fodlan, so you are effectively a Queen. Due to this, you're going to need to be wed there as well. You will also need to draw up official documents proclaiming an alliance between the two kingdoms. I trust the two of you, so as your advisor, I will sign off to pretty much anything you come up with. Keep in mind that Claude's Almyran advisors will not be the same way, since Claude recently became king. They don't know his way of ruling just yet, so there may be some resistance."

"We appreciate that, Seteth," Claude replied. "And we will get to it, of course, but does it have to be done today?"

Seteth smiled. "No, it does not have to be done today. Claude, what time did you say the ceremony was supposed to begin?"

"Hilda told me it would start at one," Claude answered.

"Then I shall see you again then."

"Thank you, Seteth."

"You're welcome, Byleth. And congratulations again."

Waving, Claude and I left the office and began to head downstairs. "Well, let's go visit the guard and find Judith so we can invite them," I said. "Do you know where Judith might be? Or Alois?"

"The fishing docks for Alois probably, then the entrance or reception hall for Judith."

"Okay. Well, we'll talk to the guard first, then Alois, then we can find Judith."

"Sounds like a good plan to me," he replied, smiling.

After a few minutes, we reached the gates. "Hello professor, nothing to report! Well, I guess you're not a professor anymore though, are ya?"

"Nope," I replied, grinning. "Claude and I have a report for you, though!"

"What's that?"

"We're getting married, the ceremony is today at one, and you're invited! We'll make sure someone takes your place while you're there!" Claude said, huge grin on his face.

"Oh wow, that's wonderful! Of course I'll come! Where is the ceremony being held?"

"The cathedral," I replied.

"Okay! See you then!" the grin on his face gave him a boyish appearance, despite the battle scars on his face.

Waving goodbye, we headed towards the fishing docs to find Alois. However, he wasn't there. We searched the reception hall for Judith, didn't find her there, nor Alois. Same for the reception hall.

"Where could they be?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Maybe one of them is in the cathedral right now?"

"Good idea, let's go check." We get there, and they're nowhere to be found.

"Let's check the second floor."

"Hopefully they're there… I'm going to exhaust myself before the wedding even begins at this rate," I replied, taking a deep breath. "Not to mention our time limit," I added, looking at the clock tower. "I already have only an hour and a half left to go meet Hilda."

"We'll find them before you have to go meet her."

We checked in the Audience Chamber, but it was empty. So we went to check in the offices, and found them both in my dad's old office.

"Hello, you two," Alois said. "What's on your mind?"

"Do you have anything to tell us?" Judith asked.

"Yes," I said. "We do. We're getting married! Today! The ceremony is at one in the cathedral, and you two are invited!"

"Well, it's about time you asked us. I overheard the two of you at breakfast today, and I've been waiting here all morning to speak to you," Alois said.

"And I found out from him an hour ago. What took you so long?" Judith asked, a twinkle in her eye.

"We didn't know where you were!" Claude exclaimed, palm to his forehead. "You weren't where we expected you to be. So," he straightened up, putting his hand on his hip, "are you coming or not?"

The two of them shared a grin. "Of course we'll come to see you kids get married," Judith replied. "But I do hope the two of you will clean up a bit for the ceremony, instead of staying in the clothes you wore yesterday."

"Do you really think that Hilda would let us get married looking like this without making a fuss? She already told Claude what to wear, and found something for me as well," I replied, grinning. "She's also the one that helped set the time."

"She's actually a very driven and productive person, she's just selective about it," Claude said, causing the two older adults to chuckle.

We stayed and chatted with them for a bit, and then I excused myself so I could go meet Hilda. On the way down to the old classroom, I made sure to give the dogs and cats some headpats if I crossed paths with them.

"Hello again!" Hilda greeted. "I hope your morning has been productive! How's it feel to have only one hour left until the ceremony?"

"I'm getting a bit nervous now," I replied. "But nervous in a good way, if that makes any sense."

"Feels like butterflies in your tummy? Yeah, I know that feeling," I heard Lysithea say.

"Oh, hello. I didn't see you there."

"It's fine," Lysithea replied, closing the door behind me.

"Okay, I forgot to show you these earlier, but here's some shoes to choose from," Hilda said. "It's getting cooler these days, so walking around in bare feet isn't the best idea, and your regular boots would look a bit out of place."

I looked at the line of golden ballet slippers, trying to find a pair of slippers closest to my size. Finding a pair, I pulled them out and set them to the side. I pulled off my coat, draping it across the back of a chair, and then set my shirt and pants in the seat of the same chair. Hilda handed me the purple dress, and I carefully slid it on, smoothing down the front when I was done. There were golden tassels on the side that I hadn't seen earlier today, and an open panel at the stomach area. The golden stitching I had noticed earlier created a flower design on the lower half of the skirt. I sat down carefully, pulling the slippers on.

"Um, I'm not sure how to tie these," I said.

"Here you go," Lysithea said, pointing a finger at my ankles and making a twirling motion with it. The ribbons suddenly came to life, winding themselves around my ankles and tying themselves in a perfect knot.

"Thanks, Lysithea!"

"It's no problem at all," she replied, smiling.

I relaxed as Hilda began to brush my hair, carefully pulling the brush through the tangles and knots it had acquired in the past day. Then I felt her part it into multiple sections, and she began to braid it loosely.

"I thought about just leaving your hair down and loose, but I think pulling it back will look better. More like a goddess, and every girl deserves to look like a goddess on her wedding day."

She bound the end of the braid with some white and red ribbons, then set her case of makeup of the desk beside me. As promised, she didn't put on much-just some on my eyes and a bit on my lips.

"Alright, our last step is to go get those flowers for you hair from the greenhouse," she said. "Then, we can show you how you look in a mirror." She handed me my coat. "Drape this over yourself so that no one can see what you're wearing, in case we bump into someone on our way to the greenhouse or the cathedral. We want it to be a surprise."

Nodding in response, I did as she told me. I followed her and Lysithea to the greenhouse, and watched as Hilda carefully chose flowers to put in my hair.

"When you're making a flower crown, you need to pay special attention to the stems. They're what you weave into each other to create the circlet, so if they can't hold up, your crown will fall apart," she explained.

"Thanks for the tip. Claude said he would teach me how to make one, so already knowing one thing about them is nice."

She smiled, then set the crown gently on my head, carefully adjusting the few hairs that fell out of place from the movement. "There, it's perfect! Now, it's time for us to head to the cathedral."

My heartbeat quickened the closer we got to the cathedral, and my palms started to sweat a bit. However, I couldn't keep the smile off my face. As we walked up the stairs to the cathedral, I wiped my palms on my jacket before taking it off, grabbed the notepad and ripped off the page with my vows on it, and handed both to Hilda.

"Well, here we go," I said, pushing the door open. When we got in, I could see Claude and Seteth up front, along with the others standing a little to the side, where the pile of rubble had been until recently. Claude's so handsome in his uniform; the golden tones on everything compliment his skin tone well. I could feel a blush creeping up onto my face, but I did nothing to stop it. My smile felt impossibly huge. When Claude turned from speaking to Seteth and saw me, his face lit up like the sun. His eyes were filled with happiness. I felt like I was going to start crying, I was so happy. Finally, I reached the front of the cathedral. I stood there, facing Claude.

"Are you two ready?" Seteth whispered.

"Never been more ready for anything in my life," Claude replied. I just nodded in agreement, never taking my eyes off his face.

"Very well." Seteth cleared his throat, then began to speak. "Welcome, everyone. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of these two amazing people that we call friends, and are our brothers in arms. Before the tying of the knot, do the two of you have any vows to exchange?"

"Yes," Claude and I replied in unison.

"Very well. Claude, would you like to go first, or would you like for Byleth to speak first?"

"I want to hear Byleth speak first," he replied, his smile brighter than ever.

Clearing my throat, I glanced at the slip of paper with my vows and began to speak.

""You? Me? Golden Deer? We could be great together," is one of the first things you said to me the night we met. I didn't realize at the moment how much I fascinated you, but I know you fascinated me a great deal. I couldn't understand how you were so easygoing. Then, I became your professor, and I slowly began to understand. However, you never ceased to fascinate me. You always kept me on my toes with all of your schemes, and all my worries about you slipping an "experiment" into my tea. After I awoke from that five year slumber, some of my first thoughts were of you. Finding you at the cathedral was one of the happiest moments of my life, and you were always a source of relief in the midst of the chaos of war. You have become more than just my right hand man; you're now the second half that makes me whole. There may be times in the future where we have to be physically apart, but we will never be spiritually apart, for we are so interconnected by trust and love that it has become a bond that will never be broken. And for that, I promise to stay with you, by your side, for as long as we both shall live."

Tears were beginning to prick my eyes, so I blinked to hold them back. I watched as he slipped a piece of paper from his sleeve and began to speak.

"I remember the first time I met you vividly. I admired you fighting skills, and how powerful you were. You had an air of mystery about you. Naturally, it was one I wanted to solve, so I was ecstatic when I found out that you were coming back to the monastery with us, and doubly so when they made you our professor. I was determined to figure out all that I could about you. During those first few months, I wanted you as an ally because of you power, but it developed into wanting you as an ally because I thought you were an amazing person. Then, around the time of the ball, I realized it was because I had fallen in love with you. But, before I had the chance to tell you, you disappeared. But you kept the promise you made that night, and returned to the monastery when you were finally able. I had never known true relief until that day, when I finally saw you again. It was then that I knew everything would work out, and that the war would end soon. I wanted to confess then, but it didn't feel right to do so in the middle of a war, so I kept waiting. Every moment spent with you was, and still is, so precious to me. You have become my greatest supporter, and I can no longer imagine life without you. So I promise to support and love you until the day I die. I love you with all that I am."

He slid the slip of paper back into his pocket, never taking his eyes from mine.

"I will now commence the tying of the knot," Seteth said, clearing his throat. "Byleth, clasp your hands together and hold them out in front of you, as if you were praying, and then you'll wrap your hands around hers, Claude."

I did as he said, enjoying the feeling of Claude's warm hands wrapping around mine. Seteth then pulled out a green sash.

"This sash represents the invisible strings we all have," he said, starting to wrap it around our hands and our forearms, "wrapping it shows how we intertwine ourselves with others," he then tied it into a knot, facing it towards the small crowd, "and finally, the knot shows how we bind ourselves to someone when we form a bond. This knot is special, however, and can only be formed with one other: the person you choose to spend your life with. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now share your first kiss."

Hands still bound together, Claude and I leaned towards each other, lips finally meeting as our friends began to clap. He slowly pulled away, dropping a fast kiss on my forehead before pulling away entirely.

Seteth then began gently pulling upwards on the sash, slowly sliding it off. "This is yours to keep, if you'd like. Most couples like to have it as a keepsake."

"Thank you," I said as he handed it to me. "Thank you for everything."

"My pleasure," he replied, smiling softly. "Now you two go, your guests are waiting to congratulate you."

I gave him a swift, one-armed hug before turning around to face everyone. Hilda and Judith were crying. I could see tears in Lysithea's eyes, while Felix had one arm around her shoulders and a warm smile on his face. Ignatz was staring at us in awe, huge smile on his face. The gatekeeper was saluting, so I saluted him back. Alois had a sad smile on his face, and it gave my heart a twinge. Knowing what he was feeling, I went and hugged him.

"Your father would be proud of you," he said.

"I know," I replied happily.

"Good," he said, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze. "I'm proud of you! And congrats! Go and have fun, you newlyweds."

Judith was giving Claude a bear hug, softly swaying. Pulling back, she wiped at her eyes. "The two of you will go big places together, and your journey will be wonderful. I'm glad to see the two of you so happy together."

Hilda and Lysithea didn't say anything; they just both hugged me and Claude together. Hilda dragged Ignatz in as well when she saw him watching, and Lysithea yanked Felix into it as he started walking by.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm a bit hungry," Claude said. "Didn't you say you were gonna make cake, Lysithea?"

"Yes! It's in the kitchen now if you want to eat it now."

"Sounds like a plan," I replied, moving closer to Claude as everyone pulled away.

As a group, we migrated to the dining hall, chatting happily. We attracted a lot of attention, with people coming up to us to ask what was going on, or what had just happened. When we finally reached the dining hall, we waited as Lysithea went to the kitchen and got the cake.

"Newlyweds cut the cake!" she said, putting it down in front of us and handing me the knife. "Together!"

"Alright then, let's do it," Claude said. He took the sash from my hand, set it carefully on the table, and wrapped on of his hands around the knife handle. I adjusted my grip on it, and we began to slice up the cake, handing out slices as we did.

Once everyone had a slice, we got our own and sat. We spent the next couple of hours eating cake, drinking the wine someone had decided to grab, filling each other in on what had been going on since we parted ways, and speaking of what the future might hold. The air was warm with companionship, and everyone's face seemed to glow, and not just from the wine.

Cladue squeezed my hand. "How about the two of us slip away now?"

"Okay," I squeezed his hand back, standing up. I picked up the sash, and after a final round of congratulations from everyone, the two of us walked out, holding hands.

"So, King Claude, where to now?" I asked, giving him a quick poke in the ribs.

"I was thinking we could go visit Captain Jeralt and your mother," he replied. "If you'd rather not, then what we do is up to you."

I smiled. "Yeah, let's go visit them." When we got there, we stayed for about thirty minutes, while Claude listened to me reminisce about my childhood.

"Do you think your parents will like me?"

"I'm pretty sure my mom already loves you, just because of how many times you've saved my ass," he replied. "And my dad already respects you as a warrior. I'm sure that once he meets you he'll likee you."

"Well, that's good to know," I replied. "Let's get back to our room now; we can watch the sunset from the balcony."

As we walked, he grabbed my hand. I squeezed it gently, intertwining my fingers with his. We settled into a comfortable silence, enjoying the walk up to what was now our room. I set the sash on our bedside table, took off the shoes I had been wearing, and walked out onto the balcony. Claude joined me a few seconds later, sans shoes and his outermost layer of clothing.

I perched myself sideways on the edge of the balcony, facing the sunset. Claude stood beside me, wrapping his arms around me. I removed the slightly wilted flower crown from my head, transferring it to Claude's, and quickly kissed his forehead. He blushed lightly, chuckling a little.

"We're finally together now," he said. "A new era of peace has finally begun, and I'm so glad I get to share it with you."

"I'm happy to be with you as well," I replied, kissing him.

And with that, we fell back into the comfortable silence, watching a beautiful sunset end the first day of a new era.


End file.
